£150,000 fake drug stash seized in UK sting operation
MHRA assisted by local police and pharmaceutical manufacturers
The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has seized fake and unlicensed medicines along with controlled drugs worth £150,000 as part of a simultaneous raid on six locations across London, and two in Yorkshire with the assistance of local police.
The products seized were for treating depression, erectile dysfunction, in addition to painkillers, sedatives and injectable anabolic steroids.
Six people in the UK believed to be linked to a gang in Asia were arrested in connection with the illegal sale and supply of medicinal products, most of which are suspected to be counterfeit.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers Pfizer, Lilly and Sanofi-aventis initially passed information on to the MHRA.
MHRA head of intelligence Nimo Ahmed said: ‘Large boxes containing counterfeit and unlicensed medicines together with packaging, computers and cash were seized and the suspect medicines will now be sent to government laboratories to assess their authenticity.
‘At this stage it is suspected that these medicines would have been supplied illegally over the Internet.’
The MHRA was assisted by the Metropolitan Police, West Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Police and the pharmaceutical manufacturers already mentioned.
The MHRA has seized more than £6m worth of counterfeit medicines in the last four years.